African-Americans constitute approximately 14% of the US population. However, African-Americans have the highest incidence and death rates in cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, cancer and blood-related diseases including sickle cell diseases in the nation. Also, African-Americans form less than 4% of all Biochemistry PhD degree graduates in this nation. Predoctoral research training in biomedical sciences with empahsis on biochemical approaches for studying human cardiovascular, blood and lung diseases offers a vital avenue for advancing the missions of NHLBI towards expansion of the underrepresented minority pool in the work force in these important areas. Therefore we are fully committed to the goals of NHLBI in changing this trend. The Biochemistry PhD program at Meharry Medical College plays significant roles in educating and graduating African Americans with PhD degrees in Biochemistry at a rate that sigificantly surpases the national average. Last year we awarded 3 African-Americans with PhD biochemistry degrees as compared to less than 0.4 per each US Biochemistry PhD degree program. This year we will graduate at least 4. This competing application seeks to continue this excellent work by recruting, training, nurturing, mentoring, and awarding at least six highly qualified minorities with Biochemistry PhD degrees. We are confident that our devoted, experienced and enthusiatic faculty from both Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University will provide the trainees with outstanding training through multi-disciplinary-based PhD education and training in Biochemistry as well as in Cancer Biology. We will achieve this goal through formal course work, seminars, works-in-progress, research training, enrichment workshops and effective mentoring. We plan to expouse our trainees to modern techniques and emerging techologies in biomedical sciences. We strongly believe that our program will ensure the students of excellent academic and research training in various research areas related to the mission of NHLBL/NIH. By accomplishing this goal our program will contribute significantly towards development of minitores for future careers in biomedical sciences in areas of that are realated to the pathogeneis and control of cardiovasuclar, pulmonary and hematological diseases. RELEVANCE: The relevance of this minority institution research training grant is in expansion of the minority pool in biomedical sciences by recruting, train and awarding minorities with PhD degrees in biomedical sciences in research related to the diseases of the cardiovascular, pulmonary and hematological systems. (End of Abstract)